Hike #203 1/22/6
1/22/6
The group along Patriot's Path/Black River Trail
For my first hike after returning from the west coast, I decided to post a trip covering thenext section of the former Rockaway Valley Railroad from Oldwick northeast, and usesome of the Black River Park’s trails heading into Chester. We met in the morning at theShop Rite in Chester, then shuttled our vehicles south to Oldwick and the Cold BrookReserve. Joining me for this jaunt were Fred Hafale, Jude Shabrach, and newcomer Mike Salender.
Along Vliettetown Road near Oldwick
Vliettetown Road
Hiking Vliettetown Road near Oldwick
Farm view from Vliettetown Road
Former Rockaway Valley Railroad right of way, now almost unrecognizeable at the corner of Vliettetown Road and Black River Road
Former Rockaway Valley Railroad right of way straight ahead, now the route of Black River Road, at the corner of Vliettetown Road
View of the Black River, and abutments of where the former road once crossed.
Former Rockaway Valley Railroad bed straight ahead across Black River Road
Black River road build on top of the former Rockaway Valley Railroad bed
A berm along Black River Road, but not the rail right of way.
Former Rockaway Valley Railroad right of way along Black River Road south of Pottersville
Rockaway Valley RR across a field south of Pottersville
Former Rockaway Valley Railroad bed in Bedminster Twp. Park
Former Rockaway Valley Railroad in Bedminster Twp. park
Rockaway Valley RR bed in Bedminster Twp park
Along Rockaway Valley Railroad bed south of Pottersville
Church in Pottersville
Church in Pottersville
Field view near Pottersville
Entering Willowood Arboretum on Rockaway Valley RR bed
Patriot's Path through Willowwood Arboretum
Patriot's Path through Willowood Arboretum
Patriot's Path through Willowwood Arboretum
Patriot's Path in Black River Park
Along Patriot's Path/Hacklebarney Mine Railroad in Black River Park along Kay's Pond.
Cooper Mill
Cooper Mill
Cooper Mill
Cooper Mill
Cooper Mill
We bagan walking in Cold Brook Reserve in Oldwick, heading out across the fields as wehad on the previous visit, soon reaching the point where we bagan on our loop. This time,I spotted another possible trail to the right, which we followed.
It took us through a line oftrees and across a brook, leading us along more fields and into a woodland. I then knewthis was the trail we should have followed previously. We looped around, then made ourway through the woods to a split in the trail. Everyone waited behind while I ran aheadand checked out the trail to the right for a bit. When we took the left fork, we ended upback in fields, which we used to walk back the way we came for a loop. It seems weshould have continued on the trail to the right to have done the trail correctly. As we did the last time, we stopped at the General Store in Oldwick, but only I gotsomething (I think it was a Snickers bar). We continued on Church Street past where itbecame Vliettetown Road again, but this time went straight instead of following ColdBrook Road. When we reached the intersection with Black River Road, it was evident that this was therailroad right of way. I had driven this recently and an old timer told me this section of theroad at the intersection was built on the rail right if way. To the southwest, the railbed hadbeen completely erased through farming, and to the northeast the road followed it’s levelgrade, and the bridge over the Black/Lamington River had obliterated all signs of a formercrossing. From the bridge, a former road bridge upstream was visible. At the next intersection, it was obvious the railroad continued straight through a line oftrees sorrounded by fields and people’s yards. We turned left on Black River Road parallelto the right of way. The historical maps showed the right of way crossed Black RiverRoad up ahead, so we looked out for remnants. I thought I had found it and followed a fillto the left of the road, but it turned out to be the berm of an old resevoir of some sort. Justafter here, it was obvious the right of way crossed where there was a bridge over atributary. There was no sign of a former rail crossing though. Part of the right of way onthe west side of the road was now part of a Bedminster Township park, and I was happyto see we’d be able to follow it! We walked through a field at first, then into the woodsalong the Black River, and past a bridge site with only abutments remaining. The railbedwas beautiful for a while, and easy to follow. While we were on this section, I was gettingphone calls from Jim Delotto who wanted to join up with us. He drove up and downBlack River Road, first going too far south, then back up north. The last time I talked tohim he was making his way up the road trying to find us. When the rail right of way entered someone’s back yard, we turned up hill back to BlackRiver road and walked parallel. We could see where the railroad used to cross the roadonce again near yet another tributary. Delotto finally caught up with us and gave us somefruit. He then drove back to the north to park his car at the Pottersville Generals Store.We all decided to walk there for a break. I don’t remember what any of us ate. From here, we continued along Rt 512 through Pottersville past the church, then by aprivate school. The railroad used to cross 512 here, on the one side through the schoolyard to the north, and apparently now part of a new development road to the south. Weopted not to follow it from here, instead walking a terrible road walk up hill on 512 to thenext left hand turn in toward Willowood Arboretum (there were some nice views from theroad despite how tough it was). It was evident where the railroad crossed here, and we allstopped to take “separations breaks” (using the restroom for lack of a better word.). Entering Willowood Arboretum, we had to open a gate that served as a deer and animalextruder. The railroad bed was nice, though hardly recognizeable as a railroad grade formuch of the way. It was clear only because the Patriot’s Path is aligned on it here. Wecontinued to where the Patriot’s Path made it’s way to the north, as the Rockabye BabyRailroad continued back south into Somerset County where we were in Pottersville earlier(To our north it went to Morristown, reaching Daly Road and Rt 206 on the trail.). The Patriot’s Path took us along open fields, and through another fence on the other sideof Willowood Arboretum. We soon entered Bamboo Brook Outdoor Education Center,which has another series of trails. We headed up hill through more fields and through thebeautifully manicured grounds of Bamboo Brook, down the driveway and up along awalkway past a parking lot and onto the hillside above. There were some nice views of thefarmland below. The trail soon took us uphill rather steeply and through woods, soon emerging intoanother field before crossing Lamerson Road. North of here, we were in more woodsmainly, and through some little gullies formed by tributaries. When we reached PottersvilleRoad, Mike Salender decided to cut out and walk the road back to Shop Rite nearby. The remaining four of us continued north along the Black River Trail/Patriot’s Path to theKay Center, then down along the Black River in Black River Park. We continued north onthe rail beds, past Kay Pond, and to Milltown and the Cooper Mill. We stopped briefly,and continued north under the highway on Patriot’s Path. This time, when we reached the red blazed branch of Patriot’s Path, we followed itsteeply to the east uphill into Chubb Park, to finish another new section. We walkedthrough the park, then cut out across the grass into Chester to finish the hike before dark.
Photos by Mike Helbing and Fred Hafale (FH)
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